A Funny Thing/Retirement
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Paul W. Powell Tyler, Texas "Published by the Texas Baptist Leadership Center, Inc. 1 © Copyright 2000 Paul W. Powell 5603 Elderwood Drive Tyler, Texas 75703 Printed in the United States All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher. 2 Dedicated To Milton Cunningham Russell Dilday Richard Jackson Phil Lineberger Four fun preachers, who like a funny story. 3 Contents Foreword ....................................................................... 7 Introduction .................................................................. 9 1. Favorites ................................................................ 11 2. General .................................................................. 43 3. Age ......................................................................... 65 4. Bible Knowledge .................................................. 71 5. Conflict .................................................................. 75 6. Deacons ................................................................. 79 7. Denominations ..................................................... 81 8. Education .............................................................. 85 9. Health .................................................................... 89 10. Introductions ........................................................ 93 11.Marriage and the Home...................................... 95 12. Preachers ............................................................. 103 13. Sports ................................................................... 109 14. Stewardship - Giving ........................................ 115 15. Texas .................................................................... 121 16. Travel ................................................................... 125 5 Foreword A church was considering as interim pastor a young preacher who was known for his use of humor in the pulpit. When his name was mentioned in a committee meeting, a distinguished seminary professor within the church questioned aloud whether the young man possessed sufficient dignity for the task. He asked if the preacher recognized the “gravity” of filling the esteemed pulpit. A deacon in that same meeting pounded his fist on the table and retorted, “We’ve had enough gravity around here. It’s time to laugh.” Just as surely as the Bible reveals that there is an appointed season for weeping, there is indeed “a time to laugh.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) I discovered some years ago that any time spent with Paul Powell, listening with delight to his humorous illustrations, is a “time to laugh.” No pastor within recent Baptist life has been more appreciated by other pastors for his humor, insight and courage than Paul Powell. No doubt, it was his gift for humor coupled with his outstanding leadership ability that enabled him to help build the great Green Acres Baptist Church of Tyler. His wonderful stories amused us all, and they did not stop when he assumed the presidency of the Southern Baptist Annuity Board. It’s worth noting that his marvelous ability to tell humorous stories never diminished our respect for him or our confidence that the Annuity Board was in good hands. Every successful preacher learns that people appreciate humor, and they learn from humor. When 7 people laugh, they become more open to new insights and understanding. And a humorous story used at an appropriate time can serve to ease a tense situation. Effective leaders know how to help people laugh. I am grateful to Paul Powell for sharing these stories with church leaders and to the Texas Baptist Leadership Center, Inc., for making this book possible. Dr. Charles Wade Executive Director Baptist General Convention of Texas 8 Introduction Through the years I have been fascinated by the differences between human beings and other animals. One of the differences that first impressed me is the fact that man is the only creature who both laughs and cries because he’s the only one who knows the difference between the way things are and the way things ought to be. The ability to laugh is therefore one of the things that set us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom and is one of the ways we are like God. Does God laugh? Oh, yes! We are told so many times in scripture. Look at some of them: “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh” (Psalm 2:4). “The Lord shall laugh at him (the wicked): for he seeth his day is coming. (Psalm 37:13); and, “Thou, 0 Lord, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.” (Psalm 59:8). Not only does God laugh but the scriptures tell us we should laugh also. They say, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). And, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: ... a time to weep, and a time to laugh. (Ecclesiastes 3.1) Laughter is important for many reasons. For one thing, it's a sign of a healthy self image. Dr. John Newport, long time Southwestern Theological Seminary professor, said that neither fanatics nor dictators can laugh at themselves. Both are too insecure. Some preachers are the same way. They act like they are so holy they would never take anything but “St. Joseph’s” aspirin. Yet, through the years, some of our most effective preachers have had a great sense of humor - J.D. Cirray, Herschel Hobbs, and the renowned preacher of London, Charles Haddon Spurgeon to name a few. Spurgeon loved life; his favorite sound was laughter. In the pulpit he often leaned back, roaring loudly over something he found amusing. When fellow clergymen, incensed by Spurgeon’s humorous bent, railed against him, he responded with a chuckle: ”If only you knew how much I hold back, you would commend me. This preacher thinks it less a crime to cause a momentary laughter than a half-hour of profound slumber.” 9 How great was Spurgeon’s humor? Addressing a preaching class on the importance of coordinating facial expressions and speech, he advised, “When you speak of heaven, let your face light up, let it be radiated with a heavenly gleam, let your eyes shine with reflective glory. But when you speak of hell - well, your ordinary face will do.” It’s especially important for us to laugh at ourselves. We can’t take the Lord’s work too seriously, but we can take ourselves too seriously. And humor, when used correctly, can be a great tool in communicating. It has long been recognized as one of the best ways to build speaker - audience rapport. It breaks down barriers, builds trust, and creates an atmosphere of response. Herb Gardner said, “Once you get people laughing, they are listening and you can tell them almost anything.” Humor can help us preserve our sanity. Victor Frankl, the Swiss psychiatrist, who endured the atrocities of a Nazi concentration camp, spent considerable time studying the lives of people who had survived these prisons. In his book, Man’s Search For Meaning, he wrote, ”I learned that the people who were most likely to survive were those who had a sense of humor,” It’s hard to imagine anything amusing happening in a concentration camp. And it’s often hard to find much amusing in some deacon’s meetings. But the people who survive and thrive in the ministry as well as those who survive concentration camps, are those who keep their sense of hurnor. It’s one of the qualities of a good leader and a good healthy self image. And finally, humor can also be used effectively to illustrate a point. I have often used humor for this purpose. One of the values of this book, perhaps the primary value, is to that end. It contains the best stories I have been able to collect over the years. I have tried to give at least one application for each story and show how it can be used to illustrate a point. And, if nothing else they can serve as a way to laugh at ourselves. I hope you have as much fun telling these stories as I have. Good stories, like good music are timeless. So tell them and tell them again. Your audience will enjoy them every time. Paul W. Powell • 5603 Elderwood • Tyler, TX 75703 Phone: (903) 561-8135 • Fax (903) 561-2594 • e-mail: [email protected] 10 1 Favorites 1. Jesus - Our Friend A church had a pompous preacher they wanted to get rid of. They prayed that he would leave. They recommended him everywhere. But no one would call him. Finally he received a call to be a pastor in another place. The Sunday he resigned he said, “When I came here five years ago, Jesus led me here. And now Jesus is leading me away.” When he was finished the chairman of the deacons stood and said, “Let’s all sing, ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus.’” Application: We do have a friend in Jesus. 2. A Poor Preacher A preacher was speeding down the highway and was stopped by a highway patrolman. As the patrolman was preparing to write a ticket, the minister, hoping to appeal to his sympathy, said, “Officer, I hope you’ll show me mercy. I am a poor preacher.” The officer responded, “Yes, I know, I heard you last Sunday.” Application: Some things are obvious. 11 12 / Favorites 3. Insecurity A minister was uneasy about his church situation. He said, “When I went there six months ago they didn’t put my name on the church sign. They hung it on a shingle beneath the sign, and they didn’t paint it on. They wrote it in chalk. Now, for the past three weeks, the chairman of the deacons has been sitting on the front row and tossing an eraser back and forth in his hands.” Application: There’s not much security in today’s world. 4. Women Preachers When the new minister arrived — the first female for this congregation — the deacons debated whether to carry on the welcoming ritual and take her fishing. There was some disagreement, but in the end tradition prevailed. As the boats moved out in the pre dawn darkness, the pastor realized she had not dressed warmly enough for this expedition. She shivered in silence for a time, but finally decided this is foolish.